Series synopsis
Close to the Enemy is a British war & politics drama television series that premiered on BBC Two on November 10, 2016. It ended on December 22, 2016. It was created by Stephen Poliakoff. It stars Jim Sturgess, Lucy Ward, Charlotte Riley and Angela Bassett.
A British intelligence officer has to ensure that a captured German scientist helps the British develop jet aircraft.
Premise
A British intelligence officer has to ensure that a captured German scientist helps the British develop jet aircraft.
Premise: Where one war ends, another begins.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Jim Sturgess as Callum Ferguson
- Lucy Ward as Lotte Koehler
- Charlotte Riley as Rachel Lombard
- Angela Bassett as Eva
- Phoebe Fox as Kathy Griffiths
- August Diehl as Dieter Koehler
- Freddie Highmore as Victor Ferguson
- Alfred Molina as Harold Lindsay-Jones
Supporting cast
- Sebastian Armesto as Alex Lombard
- Alfie Allen as Ringwood
- Julian Bleach as Geoffrey Salter
- Robert Glenister as Brigadier Wainwright
Guest cast
- Charity Wakefield as Julia
- Sai Bennett as Anna
- Ciara Charteris as Lucy Lindsay-Jones
- Emma Fielding as Miss Clarkson
- Lucas Caruso as Richie the Drummer
- Carly Bawden as Ruth
- Vinette Robinson as Rita
- Lindsay Duncan as Frau Bellinghausen
- James Bradshaw as Mr Emmanuel
- Antje Traue as Bergit Mentz
- Duncan Wisbey as Leonard
- Jacqueline Tong as Mrs Tooley
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 8 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 1 | December 1, 2016 | December 1, 2016 |
| Season 1 | 7 | November 10, 2016 | December 22, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Know Your Enemy - Stephen Poliakoff in Conversation The dramatist Stephen Poliakoff has long been obsessed with the secret history of Britain in the 20th century. His latest work, Close to the Enemy, looks at the clandestine work of the secret service after the end of the Second World War. Historian and broadcaster David Reynolds talks to Poliakoff about the inspiration behind Close to the Enemy, as well as the always tricky relationship between history and fiction. |
December 1, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 At the end of WWII, British intelligence officer Callum Ferguson is assigned to persuade captured German scientist Dieter Koehler to work with the RAF to develop an urgently needed jet engine. |
November 10, 2016 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Callum uses unorthodox methods in an attempt to convince Dieter to work with the British, while also juggling the demands of War Crimes officer Kathy — who believes the British government is harboring war criminals — and his troubled younger brother, Victor. |
November 17, 2016 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Everyone puts aside their differences in the search for Lotte and Callum is forced to take a choice between his brother and orders from his superiors. Callum's best friend, Alex, encourages his American wife, Rachel, to seek Callum's help in becoming a patron of the arts. |
November 24, 2016 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC Two |
|---|---|
| First aired | November 10, 2016 |
| Last aired | December 22, 2016 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Thursday at 21:00:00 |